UK deploys over $3 million to support Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain said on Wednesday it was deploying 2.5 million pounds ($3.36 million) in emergency humanitarian funding to assist the Caribbean region's recovery from Hurricane Melissa, with targeted support for Jamaica.

The aid package includes the rapid delivery of shelter kits, water filters, and blankets to help prevent injury and disease outbreaks, the government said.

Emergency supplies had been positioned in Antigua to allow swift deployment to affected areas, it said, adding that British humanitarian and technical experts were being deployed to the region to assist with the coordination and delivery of aid.

Hurricane Melissa slammed into Cuba early on Wednesday, hours after causing devastation in Jamaica as the strongest-ever storm on record to hit that Caribbean island nation.

"Specialist rapid deployment teams have also been positioned in the region to provide consular assistance round the clock to British nationals affected by the devastation of Hurricane Melissa," foreign minister Yvette Cooper said in a statement.

Cooper's office said a Royal Navy ship stood ready to assist.

Britain's Ministry of Defence has also sent a team to the Turks and Caicos Islands to support disaster management efforts.

($1 = 0.7451 pounds)

(Reporting by Muvija M, writing by Sam Tabahriti, editing by Paul Sandle)

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